Hundreds of buses to replace Epping to Chatswood rail line for seven months

Jacob Saulwick

A fleet of about 75 buses running hundreds of services a day will be required to replace the Epping to Chatswood rail line for more than half a year when it is shut for works to prepare it for the adjoining north-west rail link.

The state government has confirmed it plans to shut the Epping to Chatswood line, which opened only in 2009, for seven months from late 2018 until early 2019.

Fast forward: an artist's impression of the new trains, expected to start rolling in 2019.

An estimated 14,000 people a day will need to use replacement buses on already crowded roads during this period, before the train line is re-opened with more frequent but smaller trains running on the north-west rail link.

Fairfax Media had previously reported industry speculation the line could be closed as long as six months for the works to take place.

All aboard: Mike Baird and Gladys Berejiklian study a model of the new rolling stock at this week's announcement. Photo: Natalie Roberts

But after signing a $3.7 billion contract this week with the operators of the new line, the government has revealed it is allowing for six to seven months of work to take place on the 13-kilometre Epping to Chatswood link.

Transport for NSW's initial plans, in public consultation documents to be released on Friday, include operating five replacement bus routes that are expected to run more than 300 services a day.

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The replacement routes include an all-stops service between Epping and Chatswood, as well as direct buses from Beecroft, Eastwood, Gordon and St Leonards to stops along the Epping to Chatswood line, such as Macquarie University, Macquarie Park and North Ryde.

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The north-west rail link, when it opens in early 2019, will run single deck trains without drivers from Rouse Hill to Epping on a new train line and from Epping to Chatswood on the existing line.

To upgrade the existing line to run driverless trains, new signalling systems need to be installed and screens fitted between the station platform and the train line. The government also says it will install new lighting and air-conditioning systems.

Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian said: "We have the best companies from Australia and around the world on-board to deliver this project and after looking at all the options, we need to do this important upgrade and conversion work.

"There's no doubt there will be inconvenience to customers between Epping to Chatswood during the temporary closure, but once completed rapid transit will completely transform public transport for Sydney customers," Ms Berejiklian said.

The north-west rail link, to be run by the operators of Hong Kong's rail system, MTR, promises to run services every four minutes on opening with 98 per cent on time running.

But handing the Epping to Chatswood line to MTR will also have flow-on consequences for the rest of the train network. It will mean that services on the north shore line will never be able to divert onto the Epping to Chatswood line when problems occur on the north shore line – as happened last week when a tree fell onto overhead wiring at Lindfield.

If it wins next year's state election, the Coalition is promising to immediately start work on extending the north-west rail link from Chatswood across Sydney harbour to link it with the Bankstown line.